Headlight deflector



Feb. 27, 1923. 1,446391 A. H. FAY

HEADL'IGHT DEFLEOTOR Filed Nov. 12, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1 A. ,H. FAY

Feb. 27, 1923. 1,446,891

HEADLIGHT DEFLEGTOR Filed Nov. 12, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 Cir Patented Feb. 27, 1923.

omreof sr res PATENT orr cs.

ALBERT H. FAY, or WASHINGTON, nrs'rnror on coLUivrBIA.

nnaniirent'r nnrtno'ron.

rai e filed November 12, 1921. Serial K0 51 1735.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I,;ALBERT HILL FAY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at \Vashingtori, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain-new and useful-Improvements in Headlight Deflectors, o f which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to certain new'and' useful improvements in head lights, such as are used ona'u-tomobiles, for example, and

more particularly stated contemplates the production of light deflecting means, which will disperse the light free'fiomglare and without reducing or dimmingthe useful intensity of the light-. a y I Heretoforecertainattempts have! been made to effectively procure the proper control and distri'biition of the rays of light proj'ected from head lights-so that maximum amount ofthe light will! be projected forwardly, but in a plane sufficiently low to-pre vent the intensely annoying glare or? the light in ones eyes when approaching the light, or upon being approached by said Numerous deflectors as Wellas various special lenses have been produced in an endeavor to overcome the difliculties now experienced,

but tliese have not proven successt'ul'in use -tor the reason. that the intensity of the light has been so reduced in the case of the special lenses, and so restricted: in distribution in the case of the deflectors that the usefulness oi the light for head light purposes is practi'cally lost. p g

My present invention has been produced to overcome the disadvantages now found in devices of thischaracter, an has for an object the-productionof a deflector whiclrcan be readily associated with the usual reflector, so as to interceptor :interrupta relatively large portion of the forwardly projected light, and. deflect I said intercepted light downwardly and. forwardlybelow the horizontal plane. of the'head light.

Another object of invention is to produce a light deflecting means formed of relatively deep and: properly spaced strips,

each having. a reflecting surface formed substantially of contiguous straight and curved portions which serve to" project the intercepted rays in parallel relation forwardly and toward the ground and in adjacent fanlikerelation from'the' ground to the horizontal plane of the forwardly and uninterrupted projected rays; 1

A further object of my present invention is to reduce the gla -ring effect of the headlight by providing relatively broad or deep deflecting strips suitably spaced proportionately to their depth and capable of interrupting but a portion ofthe' projected rays, and further arranged so that the uninterrupted rays, flowing from the exposed portions of the reflector becomes less intense and finally ing the headlight.

' A still further object oi" my invention is to form and arrange the deflecting strips adjac'ent thereflector and source of light so that substantially theentire power of the l1ght 1s controlled without, producing a bl nding glare and distributed at a utilizabledistance infront of the automobile or other device to which the headlight may be applied.

, lVith these and other objects in V y 1 adjacent tliereto,the several paths of re-' flectedand deflected light being shown so as to more clearly understand my invention; and l n Fig. 2 is a front view of the deflector.

Referring to tliewdrawihi gs', I have shown my improved deflectorassociated with a reflector 1 arranged about thesouree of: light The light 2 is-a'djust ed in focus with the reflector so as to obtain the'proper projection of the reflected rays as will be understood. I

In the present embodiment of invention I have shown a parabolic reflectorfrom which the rays are projected forwardly in parallel relation toa each other. These parallel rays are indicated by the relatively close parallel lines 8 shown in Fig.1.; Some of the light rays proceeding from the source disappear upon approachof light 2 and striking the reflector are indicat'ed-"by the radiating lines 4. v

My light deflecting means is arranged adwhite.

The several strips 6 are arranged relatively close to each other, but are spaced apart sufficiently far to permit a relatively large portion of the reflected light to pass forwardly unobstructed. The remaining portion of light is intercepted by these strips 0 and deflected and distributed in a manner to he presently described.

The construction and arrangement of the deflecting strips or elementsG are important factors in effecting the objects of my invention. As shown the strips are of a depth substantially equal to the depth of the reflector, and are arranged in parallel and slanting relation outside of and adjacent to the reflector. The spacing between i the strips may be about one-third the depth or length thereof, as-shown, but this relative proportion can be varied so as to bring the strips much closer together, and I do not limit myself to this exact disclosure.

The herein shown angular or inclined disposition of the strips I have found to be ef fective in that a major portion of the total reflected light is deflected downwardly and forwardly and the balance of said light is allowed to proceed between the spaced strips uninterrupted. he additional advantage obtained from my present. inclined arrangement of wide or deep deflecting strips is that at a giyendistance of approach, say twenty-four feet, for example, the exposed portions of the parabolic reflector are entirely hidden from view. At distances greater than the above example, the glaring effect is greatly diminished and has been found to be unobjectionable.

In order to obtain a maximum reflection of the light forwardly and at the same time reduce to a minimum the glare upon approach, I have found that the angle at which the strips should be set, should be proportional to the depth of the strips, and the quantity of light not intercepted.

The deflection of the intercepted rays will now be described in conjunction with the specific form of reflecting surface provided upon the under face of the strips 6.

In order to deflect a portion of the rays upon the ground substantially near the automo'bile and at the same time deflect the remaining portions of the total deflected rays forwardly at a relatively long distance below the horizontal plane of the headlight,

The upper faces of I provide a deflecting surface upon each strip consisting substantially of a straight portion 8 and a curved portion 9, said portions being contiguously associated as show-11. The straight or plane surface 8 is of a size to permit a maximum deflection of a portion of the intercepted rays clear of the end of the adjacent strip. The rays deflected by thisstraight surface are indicated at 10 and as shown proceed in a downward and parallel direction immediately in front of the automobile.

The curved portion 9 of the deflecting surface receives the remaining portion of the intercepted rays, and deflects them in a fan-like manner between the aforesaid parallel rays striking the ground and the forwardly projected uninterrupted horizontal rays. These rays are indicated by the numeral 11 and as will .be seen are sent forwardly a substantially long distance, the uppermost of said rays merging into and passing along with the uninterrupted rays to infinity or the vanishingpoint of the reflected light.

The straight surface 8 as shown in the present embodiments of my invention is tangent to the curved surface 9, said surfaces meeting at a point P in such a manner that the end or point of the tangent is the point of the deflection curve, which in the disclosure herein is the arc of a circle. From the point P the intercepted parallel rays are gradually spread out and merged with the straightforward rays. I prefer to proportion, the deflection so that about one-half of the intercepted rays are deflected from the plane 8 or up to the point P and the remainder are deflected and dispersed from the curved surface 9.

The relation of the plane 8 and curved surface 9 may be varied. Likewise. the form, size and arrangement of each may be changed. For example, the curve 9 may be hyperbolic, parabolic, or otherwise. In some cases the plane surface may be used vithout being tangent to the curved surface, that is various relations of curved and straight surfaces may be provided to effect the projection of a maximum number of rays with the least possible glare.

In my present invention the deflecting strips are arranged outside of the reflector and designed with a view to obtaining a maximum distribution of the total reflected light at a utilizable distance from the headlight, and at the same time reduce to a minimum the glare now incident to any long and upward projection of the raysupon ap proaching the headlight.

It will be seen that the intermediate strip 13 is positioned so that the axis of the parabolic reflector is tangent to the deflecting surface. From this location I position the strips above and below so as to obtain the scribed; j, I

In'practice the deflecting strips 6 are suitably held within an encircling frame or band 12,1;110 which projecting tangs, for I iexainple, of the ,stripswrnay be secured by brazing or otherwise; I do not llll'l'lt myself to any particularwvay of arranging and respect to the longerdimeneion of each of holding the deflecting strips adjacent the reflector. I

I prefer to aflix and secure same in ianner. I claim:

position in any approved 1. In a headlight, combination with a" reflector of a source of light, and means for interrupting a ma or portion of the forwardly projected rays, said means involving contiguous substantially straight and curved reflecting surfaces, whereby the portion of said rays deflected from each straight surface strikes the ground relatively close to said headlight, and the remaining portion'of the interrupted rays deflected from each curved surface 1S merged into and sent forwardly with the uninterrupted forwardly projected rays.

2. In a headlight the combination with a. reflector of a source of light, and means including a plurality of relatively deep strips for interruptingfa large portion of the forwardly projected rays and deflecting said portion so that substantially one-half of the interrupted rays strike the ground relatively close to said headlight, and the otherhalf of said rays is merged into and deflected forwardly with the uninterrupted forwardly projected rays, said strips being spaced rela tively close to one another and each having j a substantially straight and a curved p'ortion. a

3. Adeflector for headlights comprising a series of strips having a reflecting surface upon the under face thereof, said surfaces being formed of substantially straight and curved portions horizontally arranged with I a lens of clear glass adjacent the reflector shown 1n dotted lines" saidistrips to intercept relativelylarge pertions of reflectedlight and deflect the salne forwardly in a relatively largeplanebelow theihorizontal." i r 1,

45. A deflectorifor headlights coinprising a series of strips of material having a reflect-'- ing, surface upon one face thereof, saidjsur curvedportionsarranged horizontally to in tercept a relatively large. portion 1 of reflected light and deflecttheiays' thereof from the aforesaid straight portion in parthe horizontahsaid curved and straight surfaces of each strip being disposed horizon- I tally With respect to thelonger sdrrnension thereof.

. allel relation to each other and the ,rays of said light. frointhe aforesaid curved portion? curved and adj ac'ent appronirnately straight reflectlng surface for i nerging the deflected rays into the forwardly projected rays below 1 In a headlight, the combination with'a reflector, and a source of light, and means including a plurality of transverse thin rel atively ,Wide plates having substantially curved and straight surfaces substantially along the axis of the reflectorAfor interrupting a, large portion of the forwardly projected rays, the plates being spaced apart so that a portion of the interrupted rays striking said straight surfaces is deflected downwardly and strikes the ground rel atively close to the headlight, and the portion of the interrupted rays striking the curved surfaces is deflected forwardly and downwardly and merged into the uninterrupted forwardly projected rays.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature,

ALBERT n. FAY.

55 face being formed of 1 substantially con jtiguous and approximately straight and 

